Inspect a VAST wrapper chain hop by hop
Paste a live VAST URL to inspect each wrapper hop and find where the chain breaks.
XML-only check? Use the VAST Tag Validator. Need creative preview and click tracking? Use the VAST Tag Tester.
When to use this inspector
Use this tool when a live VAST URL redirects through wrappers and you need to see exactly where the chain fails. It unwraps every hop, validates each response, and shows where redirects, depth limits, or inline handoff problems start.
It is especially useful when a player reports wrapper timeouts, wrapper depth exceeded, a missing <VASTAdTagURI>, or an unresolved redirect chain.
What it checks at each hop
- Fetch each redirect in order and show the exact hop where delivery starts failing.
- Validate every wrapper or InLine response against IAB VAST 2.0-4.3 rules.
- Show AdSystem, ad title, duration, tracking counts, and media file details at the final InLine.
- Catch wrapper depth violations, missing VASTAdTagURI, and unresolved redirect chains.
Most common wrapper debugging paths
Start here when a player reports wrapper timeouts, wrapper depth exceeded, missing <VASTAdTagURI>, or an unresolved redirect chain.
Related tools
Best when you already have the XML and only need a compliance check.
Best when you need creative preview, click tracking, and player-side behavior.
Keep going
Most wrapper-debug sessions end in one of three next steps: validate the resolved XML, test the live tag in the creative preview flow, or fix a common wrapper or redirect mistake.
VAST inspector FAQ
These FAQs are written for the search intents that should lead to the inspector: wrapper chain debugging, redirect tracing, wrapper depth failures, and hop-by-hop VAST analysis.
What is a VAST inspector?
A VAST inspector is a wrapper-chain debugging tool. It follows a live VAST URL hop by hop so you can see each wrapper response, where the chain breaks, and what errors appear before the final InLine is reached.
How do I inspect a VAST wrapper chain?
Paste a live VAST URL into the inspector. The tool fetches every wrapper in order, shows the redirect path, validates each hop, and highlights where wrapper depth, redirect, or handoff failures start.
How do I debug VAST wrapper redirects?
Use a wrapper-chain inspector when a player keeps following redirects and still fails to render the ad. It helps you identify broken hops, missing VASTAdTagURI nodes, circular chains, or too many redirects.
What causes wrapper depth exceeded in VAST?
Wrapper depth exceeded usually means the player hit too many redirects before reaching a final InLine response. That can happen because of long chains, redirect loops, or partners adding too many wrapper layers to the same ad request.
What is the difference between a VAST inspector and a VAST tester?
A VAST inspector is for hop-by-hop wrapper debugging. A VAST tester is for end-to-end QA once you want creative preview, click URL inspection, and player-facing behavior. Use the inspector first when the chain itself is broken.
Can I find which wrapper hop is failing in a VAST tag?
Yes. The inspector is designed to show the exact hop where delivery starts failing. That makes it useful for tracing bad redirects, empty wrapper responses, missing VASTAdTagURI elements, or unexpected validation failures mid-chain.
What is a VAST wrapper chain?
A VAST wrapper chain is the sequence of redirecting VAST wrapper responses that eventually leads to a final InLine ad response. Each wrapper points to the next hop through VASTAdTagURI until the chain resolves or fails.
How do I unwrap a VAST tag?
To unwrap a VAST tag, follow each wrapper response in order until you reach the final InLine XML. A VAST inspector automates that process and shows every hop instead of making you manually chase redirects.
Why is my VAST wrapper not resolving to an InLine ad?
A wrapper may fail to resolve because the next VASTAdTagURI is missing, the next hop returns invalid XML, the chain loops back on itself, or the player reaches a wrapper depth or timeout limit before the final InLine appears.
Can I debug missing VASTAdTagURI errors?
Yes. The inspector is useful when a wrapper response does not include the next VASTAdTagURI or when the referenced hop is empty or broken. It helps isolate the exact response where the handoff stops.
What causes VAST wrapper timeouts?
Wrapper timeouts usually happen when there are too many redirects, one of the hops responds too slowly, or the chain never reaches a playable InLine response quickly enough for the player timeout budget.
When should I use a VAST inspector instead of a validator?
Use the inspector when the problem is in the live redirect chain, not just the XML itself. A validator is better for static XML compliance checks, while an inspector is better for tracing wrappers, redirects, and failing hops.
Want to validate the resolved XML instead? Use the VAST Tag Validator. Want to preview the ad and inspect click behavior? Switch to the VAST Tag Tester.